Writers

Black Ferns squad to tour Canada named

allblacks.com 03 Jun 2015 Getty Images

New Black Ferns coach Greg Smith will take a Black Ferns side filled with an exciting blend of new faces and experienced players to tour Canada later this month.

The squad includes 12 new players and will be captained by incumbent skipper Fiao’o Fa’amausili. It includes 46-cap halfback Emma Jensen, and New Zealand Women’s Sevens players Honey Hireme and Selica Winiata.

Smith said the high number of new players in the squad reflected the depth of talent in New Zealand and the increasing popularity of the women’s game.

“This competitive series represents the start of our build up to the 2017 Rugby World Cup, and not surprisingly a number of senior players retired after last year’s tournament while a number of others are out of contention due to injury.

"Luckily, there are a lot of exciting young players who are working very hard to earn an international spot. We have two top netballers in the squad – Charmaine Smith and Keri Hayden - who see an opportunity to represent their country. They have made the squad because of their fitness, skills and athleticism.

“Over the past six months we’ve seen 110 women from all over New Zealand at our regional programmes and it's clear from the enthusiasm of players, that it’s a very exciting time for women’s rugby. There is a real sense of momentum out there.”

The Black Ferns will play Canada, USA and England in the international series from 27 June to 5 July.

Smith said the tournament will be a fantastic opportunity for talent identification and development as the Black Ferns look to build towards the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017.